1. Field of the Invention
Generally, the invention relates to post anchors to secure a post in the earthen ground. More specifically, the invention relates to such post anchors which are driveable, adaptable for deployment without requiring the use of concrete and which utilize a locking member which contacts both the post anchor and the post following installation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The anchoring of posts in the earthen ground satisfies various needs. The attachment of signs to the post, as exampled by signs posted in yard advertising the availability of the property for sale, is one common example. Similarly, the attachment of signs to posts along roads advise motorists of various conditions or that various provisions of laws are in effect for that specific stretch of road. Common examples of these type of signs include xe2x80x98stopxe2x80x99 signs and signs notifying motorists of the xe2x80x98postedxe2x80x99 speed limits in effect.
Turning now to posts which support structural entities rather than signs, the most common structure supporting use of posts is to support fencing. In this usage, a configuration of a plurality of posts cooperate to provide for an aligned arrangement, most often linear. A common usage involves various linear sections which cooperate to define a perimeter which surrounds and encloses an area.
In the agricultural area, posts enclose areas with barbed wire or a heavy gauge wire mesh fencing spanning and attached to each post in succession. This usage provides for the containment or exclusion of animals.
In the residential area, posts enclose areas with chain link, boarding or some other suitable material spanning and attached to each post in succession. This usage commonly defines a section of the boundaries of the subject property, as exampled by enclosing the backyard of a home. This usage is extremely common due to the desire of people to restrict ingress and egress from their property.
The most common method in current use of anchoring a post into the earthen ground comprises the following steps. Digging of a deep narrow hole into the ground occurs. Following forming of this hole, insertion of a lower extent of a post into the hole occurs. Then the placement of concrete to radially surround the lower extent of the post occurs to at least partially fill the hole. Following the setting of this concrete, generally the following day, installation of the fencing material occurs to span a plurality of such installed posts and define the fence.
Several disadvantages exist with this method which make the method less efficient than desired. Sandy soil conditions often tend to expand the upper extent of the hole beyond the desired size. There is a requirement of special motorized digging equipment which eliminates the requirement of manually scooping out the dirt with post hole diggers. The labor expense involved with the digging of the holes, using either method, is significant. The requirement of mixing concrete at the job site is time consuming, expensive and messy. There is a strong likelihood that even a simple job may span multiple days due to the strong desire that the concrete harden about the lower extent of the post prior to attachment of the fencing material to the post.
Various attempts have been made to provide a structural device capable of placement into the earthen ground for attachment thereto of a post. These devices attempt to provide various large surface areas distributed in the ground to cooperate to act to resist motion of the device while in the earthen ground.
Generally, acceptance in the industry of these devices is lacking. They are difficult to install. They lack sufficient resistance properties once installed to acceptably resist motion of the post above the ground. They are prohibitively expensive when compared to the conventional dig and concrete method. These devices also lack the versatility to permit the elevation of the post to be easily adjusted relative to the fixed anchor device following installation.
When a driveable post anchor is employed it may lack sufficient surface areas thereon to provide a desired level of resistance to displacement of the attached post.
For these reasons there remains a need for a simple anchor device which is adaptable for installation into the earthen ground with minimal labor consumption, which provide for acceptable motion resistance within the earthen ground following installation and which also permit repositioning of the elevation of the post relative to the fixed anchor device without requiring repositioning of the anchor device within the ground. The present invention substantially fulfills these needs.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the conventional method of anchoring a post within the earthen ground, your applicant has devised a post anchor having a driveable member and a locking member. The driveable member has a post support sleeve and a plurality of ground engaging fins. The post support sleeve has an inner surface, an outer surface and an upper extent. The post support sleeve provides for reception of a post therein during an installation process. The plurality of ground engaging fins are radially disposed to extend from the outer surface of the post support sleeve. The locking member provides for securing of the post within the post support sleeve following the installation process. The locking member contacts the post support sleeve at the inner surface and contacts the post at an outer surface of the post following the installation process.
The invention resides not in any one of these features per se, but rather in the particular combinations of them herein disclosed and it is distinguished from the prior art in these particular combinations of these structures for the functions specified.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide for a post anchor having a locking member and a driveable member where the post anchor will anchor a post in the earthen ground with at least a portion of the locking member positioned between the driveable member and the post.
Other objects include;
a) to provide for installation of a post anchor and a post with a minimal amount of effort.
b) to provide for immediate usage of the post secured to the post anchor following installation without requiring passage of a setting time interval.
c) to provide for impact force generated installation of the locking member relative to and between the driveable member and the post.
d) to provide for the reuse of the driveable member of the post anchor following removal of the locking member and removal of the post.
e) to provide for a locking member which provides for a prolonged application of a binding pressure between a post support sleeve of the driveable member and the post positioned within the post support sleeve of the driveable member following an installation process.
f) to provide for a locking member having an impact portion and a penetration portion where the impact portion provides for reception of an installation impact force and where the penetration portion provides for insertion in response to the installation impact force between an inner surface of the post support sleeve of the driveable member and an outer surface of the post during the installation process.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated the preferred embodiments of the invention.